The Defence Forces are tendering for the conversion of two artillery-towing Land Rovers from diesel to electric, offering a contract worth €299,000.
Posted on the Government procurement website, eTenders, the notice describes the required services as comprising of the converting of “two (2) x 2003 Land Rover 110 Defender Gun towing vehicles from diesel internal combustion engine to Electric Motor and Battery and Supporting System for the Irish Defence Forces”.
Commenting on the offer, Independent MEP Michael McNamara said that “spending €299,000 to convert two Land Rovers to electric is the kind of measure one expects of a retired multi-millionaire, trying to find a way to spend his money, isolated and insulated from the need in the world”.
“I certainly wouldn’t hold myself out as a defence expert but is there not a prospect that a national emergency, during which these Land Rovers would be used, might be accompanied by a power cut,” the Ireland South MEP said.
Mr McNamara queried whether the vehicles will ever be deployed beyond greater Dublin, adding that if so, the Minister of Defence may require the Army Engineering Corps to install generators and charging points in less developed areas.
“In short, it’s the act of a government losing its connection to reality. This decision is being made against a backdrop of the shortage of trained air traffic controllers at the Air Corps’ only base at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin, resulting in a move to a five-day-a-week, daytime-only flying schedule,” he said.
The Defence Forces have previously taken on extensive, climate-related refurbishments, including spending “€355m on a major building programme to decarbonise the Defence estate”.
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